Chapter 2: Main Story – Collecting the World
"Conqueror's Haki? What's that?"
Robin asked, puzzled, feeling the pressure from the overwhelming aura weighing on her chest.
"It's... the qualification of a king,"
Marco replied succinctly. "Most of the powerful figures in the New World, whether pirates or marines, all possess a force known as Haki. If you want to stand your ground in the New World, Haki is indispensable."
"There are three types of Haki: Armament, Observation, and Conqueror's. Armament Haki strengthens attacks and can touch Logia users. Observation Haki sharpens senses, allowing users to sense their surroundings, read intent, and even glimpse moments into the future."
"But Conqueror's Haki... is different. It manifests in fewer than one in a million. It cannot be trained—only those born with it can use it. It's a mark of greatness—every Yonko, even the Pirate King, possessed it."
Robin looked toward Caesar in surprise. "So you're saying… Mr. Caesar has the potential to become a Yonko?"
Marco chuckled. "Well… you're not wrong. But this is the New World we're talking about."
"Indeed… the New World."
In the darkness, Caesar slowly folded his wings. He raised his right hand and studied it—pale, elegant, and unnaturally refined.
The pitch-black surroundings posed no barrier to his vision. His crimson eyes resembled devouring vortexes, consuming every trace of light and reflecting all they saw directly into his mind.
His elven-like ears twitched slightly, picking up the tiniest sounds—bugs crawling through soil behind stone walls, the vivid and steady heartbeats of the two in front of him, and the surge of blood rushing through their veins.
But more importantly, he could see their body heat.
"A one-in-a-million king's qualification? In these seas, who hasn't clawed their way to the top? 'King's potential' is nothing more than a ticket to the starting line."
"The cruel truth is—most people aren't even allowed through the gate."
"Picture this—you're the strongest in your village, strong enough to flip a bull. One day, you set sail full of confidence, become a marine or pirate, make a name for yourself... until you reach the New World. Then you see hundred-meter tidal waves, soaring dragons, molten lava falling like rain, meteors crashing from the sky, sword slashes that split oceans…"
"These monsters can unleash with a flick of their wrist what you could never achieve in a lifetime. You couldn't even survive the shockwave of their battle. A stray stone might carry enough force to end your life."
"That disparity… that's why I risked everything, spent a fortune, and came to sea. To break free from a fate of mediocrity."
Caesar stepped out from the shadows. Robin's torch lit up his pale face, casting an almost divine glow across his already-handsome features. His crimson eyes shimmered with an aloof, ascetic allure.
"Not bad-looking," Marco muttered, eyeing Caesar curiously. "So this is the legendary Vampire Fruit... How does it feel?"
Caesar didn't answer. Instead, he folded his wings, waved the two over, and strode ahead with a barely concealed grin.
Robin and Marco exchanged knowing smiles and followed.
Just as they exited the ruins, a black streak tore through the sky!
Up above, Caesar hovered in the air, wings spread wide, shoulder-length black hair fluttering in the wind. His blood-red eyes narrowed as he opened his arms toward the slanting sunset.
Suddenly, a swarm of blood bats surged from the shadows, spiraling around him.
His wings flapped gently, keeping him aloft.
He was supposed to be a vampire of legend—yet bathed in sunlight, he looked like something holy.
"Damn, he knows how to put on a show," Marco smirked. "Alright, kid—can you do anything besides bat tricks? Show us what else you've got!"
"Haha, curiosity like yours must be a rite of passage for every Devil Fruit user…" Robin chuckled, hand over her mouth. "Come to think of it, this vampire is only eighteen. He's been calm, patient, waiting for the right moment this whole time... quite impressive for someone his age."
"Yeah… makes me want to tie him to our ship."
"???"
"Ah—no, I mean he reminds me of myself! Haha…" Marco scratched his pineapple-like hair and laughed awkwardly.
Robin stared at him in silence. You totally said what you were thinking, didn't you?
Then again, she couldn't blame him. Talented, potential-filled young men like Caesar were valuable to both pirates and marines—fresh blood at its finest.
And most importantly—he was rich.
Very rich.
That alone made Robin more willing to associate with him. Even if he had secret motives, at least she didn't have to worry about betrayal over a bounty.
After all, her own 79-million bounty didn't even match the tips Caesar casually handed out.
Suddenly, a flash of blood-red light streaked across the sky.
In the blink of an eye, Caesar appeared in front of them, his body glowing faintly red, a blood-colored mist fading around him.
Marco's pupils contracted. "So fast!"
"By accelerating my blood flow, I can boost my strength and speed drastically," Caesar explained. "The downside is that excessive use burns away lifespan… but luckily, that's the one thing I have in abundance."
He clenched his fist slowly. The flush on his skin faded, but the power surging inside made his heart pound with excitement.
This move's principle was similar to Luffy's Gear Second—but while Luffy could withstand it due to his rubber body, Caesar relied on instinctive, absolute control over his blood.
He extended a hand, and blood gathered into a crimson sphere in his palm.
With a flick, it surged forward like a cannon blast, punching through a massive tree and smashing a boulder behind it into rubble.
"Impressive," Marco muttered, eyes gleaming. "Seems even better suited for combat than my Phoenix powers…"
"Any other abilities?"
"The core is blood manipulation," Caesar replied. "I can weaponize it, heal wounds, and even extract vitality from others to stay youthful—though you already know that. As for more…"
"Wait—hold on!" Marco interrupted, eyes full of anticipation. "Can you use that power on others?"
"…I can. But there's a cost."
Caesar shook his head. "Those I inject with my blood become subordinates. Their minds and powers are limited. If they touch seawater or face strong Haki, the power breaks down."
"Even if they regain youth by my blood, once the effect wears off, that borrowed vitality vanishes. Only I, as the Vampire, can truly absorb it."
Marco's disappointment was visible. "Damn…"
"Come on, Devil Fruits aren't omnipotent. Eternal youth is already pushing it. If it were even more outrageous, the World Government would've torn the earth apart to get it. No way it'd land in my hands."
Caesar shrugged. The Vampire Fruit was already absurdly powerful.
In terms of combat, Caesar possessed both high strength and speed, along with powerful ranged attacks. His stamina was bolstered by the inherent endurance of a Zoan-type fruit, and he could continuously recover health and energy through his vampiric abilities.
And absorbing blood wasn't his only method of stealing life force.
For instance, Caesar could drain someone's vitality simply through touch—if there was no Haki shielding them, just a graze from his palm could sap their life away.
That stolen life force would then be stored, keeping his body youthful and healing his wounds whenever needed.
As long as there were enemies around, even cannon fodder, he could remain in peak condition indefinitely. No wonder this fruit only ever appeared in the games.
Thankfully—perhaps because this world was an extension of the One Piece universe—this overpowered fruit actually existed in reality, and Caesar had been lucky enough to claim it for himself.
"But don't be too disappointed," Caesar continued. "Once the ability is removed, the stolen vitality fades quickly. However, any internal injuries or chronic ailments it healed won't return. You asked because of Whitebeard, right?"
"…Yeah," Marco nodded.
Hearing that internal injuries could be cured brought a renewed spark to Marco's eyes.
"My Phoenix flames accelerate cellular regeneration and awaken the body's potential to heal wounds," he explained. "They're great for external damage, but not very effective on old internal injuries. Plus, there's a limit to how many times a cell can divide. I can keep regenerating forever, but for someone Dad's age…"
He trailed off with a sigh, shaking his head in helpless frustration mixed with relief.
Whitebeard's health had been declining steadily over the past two years—not just due to age, but mainly because of the many lingering injuries he'd accumulated over his lifetime.
They couldn't reverse aging, but if they could eliminate the pain and suffering, it would still be a blessing.
"Then let's get moving," Caesar said eagerly, turning to Robin. "Marco, I'll need your help getting to Fish-Man Island. That's where I'm supposed to give Robin her reward… Though honestly, even without going, I already know what it is. Want to hear?"
Without Marco's help, their trip to Slumbering Valley would've been a lot more chaotic. After all, the New World wasn't a sea where just anyone could travel freely. So Caesar was more than willing to return the favor.
And as for Robin…
In the past, Caesar had limited strength and avoided getting involved in larger conflicts. But now, with the Vampire Fruit in hand, he had gained a sense of confidence.
He had collected nearly everything there was to collect in this world, yet his main mission—"Collect the World"—still lingered at 9% completion.
That's why Caesar strongly suspected this mission wasn't just about tangible things. It likely included abstract entities—like power, influence, and control.
His theory was confirmed the moment he became the Vampire Fruit's user: the mission progress jumped from 9% to 10%.
So perhaps "collecting the world" really meant conquering or ruling it.
Which meant… he had to win over Nico Robin.
To Caesar, Robin herself wasn't all that useful—he wasn't interested in history. But to the world, Robin was a key piece.
If the manga timeline was any indication, she would be the one to eventually uncover and reveal the true history of the Void Century. That made her indispensable—and someone Caesar had to bring to his side.
He didn't care much about ruling, but hey—he was already on the ride, wasn't he?
The Vampire Fruit granted eternal youth, but not true immortality. What if the mission's final reward was genuine immortality?
"You can read the Poneglyphs too, Caesar?" Robin asked, eyeing him curiously. "Care to share?"
"Oh, just some trivial matters—like events from 800 years ago, or where the Ancient Weapons are hidden," Caesar said, glancing at her with a smirk. "I don't know a lot… just enough to cover your fee."
He paused, tilted his head toward her, then suddenly added:
"Jaguar D. Saul."
Robin froze.
Her pupils contracted sharply as she stopped walking and stared at Caesar, shock and suspicion in her gaze.
"Interested?" Caesar smiled. "Want to know what happened after that incident?"
"…After that?" Robin echoed softly.
Then, realization dawned. Her fear melted away, replaced by disbelief and overwhelming joy.
"He… he's still alive?"
Hook, line, and sinker.
Caesar smiled. "Honestly, I could use a secretary."
"Then… I look forward to working under you, boss," Robin replied without hesitation, quickly walking to his side and slipping into her new role.
There were a million questions on her mind, but this wasn't the time.
If Caesar knew about Saul, then he had to be connected to the only person who knew Robin had once been in contact with him—Admiral Aokiji.
Robin didn't know where Caesar got his information, but she trusted it was credible—maybe he'd even met Saul himself.
Either way, to learn the truth, she had to stay close to Caesar.
Even… if it was a trap.
"Hey, Caesar," Marco called from the front, turning back with wide eyes. "Aren't you moving a little too fast? What, trying to be the next Pirate King already?"
"Well," Caesar chuckled, "it's not like Whitebeard ever really wanted that title, right? Otherwise, he wouldn't have waited this long. And you'd have already tied Robin to the Moby Dick."
"You sure know a lot…" Marco grinned without a trace of embarrassment.
As Whitebeard's right-hand man, Marco understood that Nico Robin was crucial for reaching the final island. But more importantly, he knew what Whitebeard truly valued.
"Why don't the two of you just join our crew?" Marco offered. "The old man would love you."
"You really are greedy, huh?" Caesar rolled his eyes. "I gave you thirty billion, and now I'm supposed to throw in two people too? What next, a couple pies falling from the sky?"
Marco laughed, shading his eyes as he looked up. "Hey, don't say that. With Sky Islands up there, who knows what might fall—huh?"
He trailed off, eyes locking onto a black dot falling from the sky.
"No way…"
As the object plummeted, Marco's expression grew grim.
Noticing his reaction, Caesar and Robin also looked up.
"What is that?" Robin asked, frowning.
"Definitely not a pie," Caesar muttered.
He narrowed his eyes, slowly making out the falling shape—it was humanoid, with horns.
Familiar. Far too familiar.
In an instant, Caesar recognized the figure.
Without hesitation, he wrapped an arm around Robin and—before she could react—sank his fangs into her neck. A sharp sting, a trace of venom, and then—
With a wave of his hand, Robin's body turned into a golden card, vanishing into his collection.
"It's Kaido! Damn it—we need to leave, now!" Marco shouted. Then, realizing Robin was missing, he looked around in panic. "Where's Robin?!"
"Dunno. Bathroom break?" Caesar replied casually, peeling off his shredded shirt—torn by his bat wings—and revealing a lean, muscular torso sculpted like a living statue.
His wings unfurled again as he rose into the air. "That guy's probably not here for me. This journey ends here, Marco. I'll come find you later."
Marco's expression darkened. "Don't screw around, you bastard! We took thirty billion from you! If something happens, what will people say about us?"
"Oh? You'd risk your entire crew for someone like me?"
"You're not supposed to die, you damn—!"
Marco flushed with anger.
Kaido wouldn't target him, not directly. But he would go after a high-value prize, especially someone with a Mythical Zoan. Kaido loved Zoan users—and prized the rarest among them.
Caesar might survive being captured. But the same couldn't be said for his crew.
"Then get out of here, Caesar—I'll—!"
Before Marco could finish, Caesar had already transformed into a streak of black light and vanished into the sky.
As Caesar predicted, Kaido noticed the escape and transformed mid-air into an enormous azure dragon, roaring across the clouds as he gave chase.
"Tch… reckless idiot. I wasn't finished talking!"
Blue flames flared around Marco as he prepared to intercept—but Kaido turned his massive head, glancing at Marco… then at the harbor below, where red light began to flicker in his maw.
"…Bastard!"
Heart sinking, Marco turned and raced for the harbor, transforming into the blazing phoenix.
By the time he arrived… both figures had disappeared into the sky.
"…Damn it. Set sail! We're heading back to find Pops!"
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Did you know? In the world of One Piece, the "Void Century" is a 100-year period erased from history. The secrets of that time might hold the key to the world's balance of power.